3-phase, rc, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator for electric motor



Aug. 2, 1955 Q SMALL 2,714,697

3-PHASE, RC, VARIABLE VOLTAGE, VARIABLE FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR Filed April 2, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR DQAMLU K2. SMML TO POWER SUPPLY Aug. 2, 1955 D. c. SMALL 2,714,597

5-PHASE, RC, VARIABLE VOLTAGE, VARIABLE FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 2 1955 8 m n L m L m w M m h m 8 Wm N I 0 0 RN N mww W w 0 Q mum www H nww m E -il 5 Q .Qw I NW QNN VQN .QN w w mm R mm H mm mv mm R an 1 mm 1 I Aug. 2, 1955 c SMALL 2,714,697

5-PHASE, RC, VARIABLE VOLTAGE, VARIABLE FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR Filed April 2, 1953 4 SheetsSheet 3 I N VEN TOR ATTORNEYS TO POWER SUPPLY AND RELAY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR D. C, SMALL Aug. 2, 1955 5-PHASE, RC, VARIABLE VOLTAGE, VARIABLE FREQUENCY OSCILLATOR FOR ELECTRIC MOTOR Flled Aprll 2, 1953 ind-fi Fatonted Aug. 2, 1955 S-PHASE, RC, VARTABLE VDLTAGE, VARIABLE FREQUENCY @SCELLATGR FOR ELECTRIC MQTQR Donald C. Small, liyattsviile, Md, assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of t e Navy Application April 2, 1953, Serial No. 346,411 '5 Claims. (Cl. 318-231) This invention relates, in general, to a controlled constant frequency source for operating a radar antenna motor at a fixed speed. More particularly, this invention relates to a 3-phase, R-C, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator for use as a control arrangement for maintaining a radar antenna motor at constant speed.

The operation of some rocket propelled missiles requires that the antenna nutator motor in the ground radar be operated at a constant speed of 1800 R. P. M. This motor, being of the induction type, will not operate at what is called synchronous speed when operating from com mercial power or power supplied in field installations. For this reason, a control unit is needed to operate and con trol the speed of the motor electronically.

It is, therefore, one of the objects of this invention to provide an electronic control arrangement for operating and controlling an antenna nutator motor for a radar unit.

it is another obiect of this invention to provide a controlled constant frequency source for operating a radar antenna motor at a fixed speed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a 3- phase oscillator controlled arrangement for an antenna nutator motor that is readily adaptable for use as Z-phase, 3-phase, 4-phase and higher phase operations, if necessary.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nutator speed controller which can be utilized to control the speed of a radar antenna motor at thirty (30) cycles plus or minus one percent (1%), and one in which a pair of nutators run in phase with each other.

And another object of the invention is to adapt a single phase voltage controlled oscillator in a ring circuit to obtain multi-phase output.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the following drawings, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic of the circuitry for a frequency discriminator arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a schematic of R-C, variable voltage, which is a continuation of the circuitry shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic of the power amplifier arrangement and which is a continuation of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic of the over-all system illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

In accordance with the invention, a 3-phase, R-C, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator arrangement is provided for use as a control arrangement with aerial missiles of the rocket type. This arrangement comprises a frequency discriminator, a 3-phase voltage controlled oscillator, a plurality of power amplifiers, and power supplies for the arrangement. The basic circuit used is of a single phase voltage controlled oscillator type. By using an appropriate number of electronic tubes, depending on the number of phases output desired in a ring circuit, a multi-phase oscillator arrangement is obtained which is very stable, easily frequency controlled, and one in the circuitry for a 3-phase,

variable frequency oscillator and which the angle between phases is exact. The oscillator arrangement can be adapted to low, medium, or high power application.

The nutator speed controller to be described subsequently is a servo controlled speed regulating device for a 3-phase induction motor. Since induction motors gen erally do not run at a speed synchronous with line frequency, it is necessary to increase the input frequency to the motor in order that it be synchronous with, say, the line frequency of the motor.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawings, a referis mechanically connected to a three phase electrio motor, such as an antenna nutator motor 9 that is to be controlled, is

respectively, can be adjusted by capacitor 12 and resistor 14. A standard frequency input of thirty (30) cycles from a suitable source 19 is fed through resistor is, and a gain control resistor 30 into the cathode follower A phase and frequency discriminator 33, comprising, tubes 3'4 and 36 and transformers 38 and 40, 40, is pro- These and 40, 40, are driven from the cathode The output of the discriminator is comprising capacitors 44 and 46 A network comprising capacitors S4, 86, a resistor 88, and section of tube 68 produces a 60 phase shift at the grid 92, section 94, tube '72. The 180 phase shift between the plate and grid 92 causes the section 94, tube 72, to be 120 with the reference plate 134, section 0, tube By the same process the plate 13s, section 102, tube 70, (or 120) out of phase with the reference plate 134, section 90, tube 68, and a 180 phase shift results between the plate 13% and grid 137, section 90, tube 68. The gain is controlled by the size of grid resistors 108, 88, and 112, and by the feedback action of cathode resistors 116, 120, and 124.

The frequency of oscillation is controlled by the apparent resistance of the sections 80, 130, and 128, oscillator tubes 68, '72, and 70, respectively, in the circuit 67.

, the

apparent resistance is altered. This, in turn, varies the 135, and 136 and 137, 92, and 139, respectively, of each 92, and 102, of tubes 68, 72, and 70,

phase shift between the plates 134, the following grids of the sections 90,

and the oscillator 67 changes frequency immediately to keep the phase shift across the network at 60.

The quiescent frequency is determined by a bias voltage divider which comprises resistors 142 and 144, and a potentiometer 14-8. The 3- hase voltages are taken from the plates 134, 135, and 136, sections 90, 94, and 102, of tubes 68, 72, and 76, respectively, and are fed through gain controls to a B-phase driver and power amplifier 151 including three amplifiers 152, 154, and 156, illustrated in Fig. 3. The outputs of the amplifiers 152, 154, and 156 are coupled to dual push-pull electronic tubes 16%, 162, and 164, through transformers 168, 170, and 172, respectively. The primaries 176, 178, and 130, of transformers 168, 176, and 172, are tuned with a .75 t fd. capacitors 18 i, 136, and 138 to improve the wave shape and to increase the amplitude of the signal. The tubes 160, 162, and 164 are run at zero bias, and their outputs are applied to step-down transformers 190, 192, and 194, whose secondaries 196, 198, and 2%, respectively, are connected in delta when the motor 9 is in operation.

As shown in Fig. 2, a compressor 203 comprising tubes 204 and 266 is provided, the purpose of which will be explained below. The voltage from phase C (phase is hereinafter indicated by the Greek letter of tubes 162 is taken off through a filter comprising a resistor 210 and a capacitor 212, and fed to the grid 213 of compressor tube 206. The cathode 214 of tube 206 is biased sufficiently positive so that only the peaks of the alternating voltage appear across the plate resistor 215.

These peaks pass through the isolation diode tube or compressor tube 2&4, through a filter network comprising resistors 22% and 222 and capacitors 225 and 226. The resulting direct voltage is used to bias the oscillator grids in sections 96, 94, and 102 of the oscillator tubes 68, 72, and 76. A pair of resistors 22% and 23!) provide the normal bias for best operation of the oscillator circuit 64.

A control relay 238 is also provided as shown in Fig. 2. When the control relay 238 is not energized, it closes two other relays in a power supply unit 237, Fig. 4, which makes a motor 9 run from the amplifier output. When the control relay 238 is energized, the motor 9 is run from the line voltage. Another tube 246 is used as a control tube for the control relay 238. The plates 239 and 240 thereof are tied together. One grid is fed with a negative direct current voltage obtained by rectifying the standar signal with crystal diode 25d, and the other grid with a direct voltage obtained from the phase detector output. Loss of either of these bias voltages causes tube 246 to draw enough current the unit is first switched on, the relay is energized until the voltage at the potentiometer resistor 48 is about two volts negative, at which time the oscillator frequency is approximately sixty (60) cycles and the relay 238 is deenergized, switching the motor from the line voltage at the amplifier.

High voltage rectifiers are provided and are connected in delta, and the output therefrom is to give 750 to 800 volts. No filtering is necessary, since 3-phase wave rectification is used. The low voltage supply is standard, providing +300 volts and +255 volts regulated. Powerfactor capacitors are provided in conjunction with the output transformers 1%, 192, and 194, making the powerfactor of the motor 9, as seen from the amplifiers, approximately 100%. Otherwise, the power-factor of the motor 9 alone is approximately A time delay relay can be provided to allow approximately a one minute delay for a warm-up of rectifier tubes.

To recapitulate, a reference frequency input from either an azimuth or an elevation reference generator transformer it) is fed through a phase shifter network to a cathode follower 16, and then to a voltage divider.

In addition, a standard input frequency of thirty cycles from a suitable source 19, such as a standard generator, is fed into the cathode follower 22.

The signals to energize control relay 238. When from cathode followers 16 and 22 are then fed to the phase and frequency discriminator 23 which is utilized to discriminate both in phase and in frequency. The output of the discriminator 23 is then filtered by a network, and the output therefrom, which is proportional to the phase diiference between the reference and standard frequencies, is then fed through a stabilizing network 53 and into a bridge-T network 60.

The voltage from the bridge-T network 69 is then utilized to control the frequency of the 3-phase oscillator 67. The latter, as previously pointed out, comprises three single, RC, voltage-controlled oscillators which are connected in a ring circuit 67. The S-phase voltages are taken from the plates of the 3-phase oscillator 67 and are fed through gain controls to a 3-phase driver and power amplifier 151, including the three amplifiers 152, 154, and 156. The outputs of these amplifiers are coupled to the dual push-pull electron tubes 160, 162, and 164, through the transformers 163, 170, and 172. The 3-phase signals from the 3-phase driver and power amplifier 151 are subsequently utilized to control or operate the three phase motor 9 at a fixed speed, thereby providing an electronic control arrangement for a satisfactory synchronous control motor.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

l. A multi-phase, R-C, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator for use as a control arrangement, comprising, means for generating a reference frequency, means for generating a standard frequency, means for discriminating between said frequencies, means connected to said discriminating means for stabilizing the signal received from said discriminating means, an oscillator means connected to said stabilizing means and including a plurality of dual triodes arranged in a ring circuit, said stabilizing means including a bridge-T circuit to attenuate the undesirable voltage frequency appearing between said frequency discriminating means and oscillator means, and means for amplifying the signals received from said oscillator means, thereby providing a constant frequency source which can be used as a control arrangement.

2. A multi-phase, R-C, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator for use as a control arrangement for an electric motor, comprising, means for generating a reference frequency, means for generating a standard frequency, means for discriminating between the phases of said frequencies, relay control means connected to said phase discriminating means and standard frequency generating means for switching said electric motor from commercial power to said control arrangement and associated circuits, a stabilizing network connected to the output of said phase discriminating means and including a bridge- T circuit for stabilizing the signal from said phase discriminating means, oscillator means connected to the output of said stabilizing means and including a plurality of dual triodes arranged in a ring circuit, a like number phase driver and power amplifying means connected to said oscillator means, and means connected to said oscillator means and the phase driver and power amplifying means for compressing the signal from the latter, thereby providing a constant frequency source for use as a control arrangement for said motor.

3. A 3-phase, R-C, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator for use as a control arrangement for an electric motor, comprising, means for discriminating between reference and standard frequency signals, a 3-phase voltage controlled oscillator means for receiving the signal output from said frequency discriminating means, said 3-phase voltage controlled oscillator means including a plurality of dual triodes arranged in a ring circuit, a 3- phase driver and power amplifying means for receiving the signals from said 3-phase voltage controlled oscillator means, and compressor means connected to said 3-phase voltage controlled oscillator means and 3-phase driver and power amplifying means for compressing the signal from the latter, whereby a constant frequency source is obtained for use as a control arrangement for said motor.

4. In combination with an antenna nutator motor, a multi-phase, R-C, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator for use as a control arrangement for said motor, comprising, means for discriminating between standard and reference frequencies, a stabilizing network including a bridge-T circuit for stabilizing the signal from said discriminating means, a multi-phase voltage controlled oscillator means for providing a controlled constant frequency source from the signal received from said stabilizing network and the bridge-T circuit, and a multi-phase driver and power amplifying means connected to said multiphase oscillator means for receiving the signals from said multi-phase voltage controlled oscillator, said multiphase driver and power amplifying means providing multi-phase output signals which can be utilized for controlling said antenna nutator motor.

5. In combination with a motor, a B-phase, R-C, variable voltage, variable frequency oscillator arrangement for controlling said motor, said arrangement including a frequency discriminating means for discriminating be tween standard and reference frequencies, a stabilizing network including a bridge-T circuit for receiving the signal from said frequency discriminating means, a 3- phase voltage controlled oscillator means including three dual triodes arranged in a ring circuit for receiving the output from said stabilizing network, a 3-phase driver and power amplifying means for receiving the three signals from said 3-phase voltage controlled oscillator means, compressor means connected to said 3-phase oscillator means and said 3-phase driver and power amplifying means for compressing the signal from the latter, whereby the 3-phase signals produced by said 3-phase driver and power amplifying means can be utilized as a constant frequency source to control said motor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 

